Museum Opens Temporary Exhibit of Rare Wonder Woman Airplane

Monday, April 1, 2013

Museum Opens Temporary Exhibit of Rare

Wonder Woman Airplane

Invisible plane to be showcased at The Museum of Flight

SEATTLE, March 31, 2013--The Museum of Flight will be opening a special three-day exhibit of Wonder Woman's famed invisible plane in its Side Gallery beginning Monday, Museum officials announced. The aircraft is the original iteration of the renowned superhero's plane - a propeller-driven craft that had a cruising speed of more than 2,000 mph and was able to make trans-Atlantic flights without refueling. "It's an incredible honor to have this aircraft in the Museum, even for a short visit," said Director of Marketing Mike Bush. "If it can inspire even one youngster to wear the stars and stripes to protect the citizenry of the world, then we've done our job."

The plane is being loaned to The Museum of Flight by former Army nurse Lt. Diana Prince, who has kept it stored in a barn outside Washington D.C. ever since it was retired by the Justice League veteran in the 1950s in favor of a jet-propelled model. "We are pleased to display the plane as an unrestored artifact, not unlike our World War I Caproni Ca. 20 fighter aircraft," said Museum Senior Curator Dan Hagedorn, "experiencing the plane in this condition really helps visitors connect with a by-gone era in a visceral way."

Developed using still-mysterious Amazon stealth technology decades before other aerospace companies envisioned such a future, the unique aircraft features a robot-controlled pilot, a locascope, and an electronic mist beam. Wonder Woman was able to control the plane telepathically and via devices in her tiara. The aircraft is about the same size as a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, a fighter flown during World War II. A P-40 is on display in the Museum's Personal Courage Wing. "As curator, and as an aficionado of propeller-driven aircraft of the era," said Hagedorn, "I would be proud to someday have her plane on permanent display next to the Warhawk."

Also on display during the first week of April will be Wonder Woman artifacts generously donated by Zanadu Collectables of Seattle, and A Masquerade Costume of Georgetown.

The independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, attracting more than 500,000 visitors annually. The Museum's collection includes more than 160 historically significant air- and spacecraft, the original manufacturing facility of The Boeing Co., and the world's only full-scale NASA Space Shuttle Trainer. The Museum's aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 100,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum's on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is id="mce_marker"8 for adults, id="mce_marker"4 for seniors 65 and older, id="mce_marker"3 for active military, $9 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. McCormick & Schmick's Wings Café is on site. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org